Patents Issued the Week of September 28-October 2

10.1.26

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

U.S. Patent No. 12,747,547 entitled “Predominantly Electrically Operated Earth Working Machine” issued September 29, 2026 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Markus Bach of Bonn, Germany and Christian Berning of Züplich, Germany. Abstract: A self-propelled earth working machine includes a machine frame and a traveling gear, the traveling gear including drive units rollable on a contact subsurface of the earth working machine, the machine frame supporting a working apparatus, the earth working machine having as a main functional unit a work drive in order to drive the working apparatus to perform a work movement for earth working, and the earth working machine having at least one further functional unit, the earth working machine having a common power source, which provides both the energy for the work drive as well as the energy for the further functional unit. The common power source includes a common electrical supply switching device, to which every functional unit is connected in electrically conductive fashion, wherein the main functional unit includes an electric motor.

U.S. Patent No. 12,747,563 entitled “System and Method for Visually Representing Subterranean Objects of Interest in a Field of View Display for a Work Area” issued September 29, 2026 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Giovanni A. Wuisan of Epworth, Iowa, Kurt A. Chipperfield of Dubuque, Iowa and Taylor Xia also of Dubuque, Iowa. Abstract: A data processing system and method are provided for preventing avoidable engagement with subterranean objects during operations by work machines comprising ground-engaging work implements. Electronically mapped position data are determined for subterranean objects of interest (SOI) in an area to be worked, comprising at least latitudinal and longitudinal dimensions for each SOI. The position data may be detected and mapped using subterranean monitoring sensors mounted on work implements. Image data are captured corresponding to a field of view directed from a point associated with the work machine. Respective positions are determined for any SOI within the field of view, relative to the point. A display is automatically rendered corresponding to the image data, further visually populated to include virtual tokens for each SOI within the field of view and corresponding to the respective position data. The display may comprise augmented reality or mixed reality content rendered on a wearable unit.

U.S. Patent No. D1,150,764 entitled “Shoe Disinfecting Device” issued September 29, 2026 to DG Technologies LLC of Ooltewah, Tennessee. Invented by Dillon George also of Ooltewah, Tennessee. Claims: The ornamental design for a shoe disinfecting device as shown and described.